Our Firm

Women’s Initiative

Sherin and Lodgen is committed to the advancement and success of our women attorneys and professionals. The mission of our Women’s Initiative is to provide an internal network of support that fosters growth and achievement while connecting and learning with outside organizations that directly support women and women’s causes.

Our Managing Partner, Sara Jane Shanahan, is a woman

75% of female attorneys recognized by a major publication (Chambers, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers)

100% of our female partners ranked by a major publication (Chambers, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers)

60% of our Chambers ranked attorneys are women

S&L Women Leaders

We spoke with the female attorneys here at Sherin and Lodgen about their careers, life outside of the office, and what it means to be a woman in the legal industry to them. Click the profiles below to view their Q&As.

"A focus on mentoring women coming up in the renewable energy field is key. It’s a field that desperately needs more women in high profile roles, and that can’t happen overnight. If I can shine a spotlight on opportunities in solar and energy storage, I can set the stage for more diversity in the field. I focus on mentoring junior attorneys who have an interest in renewable work, finding speaking opportunities for women in the industry, and growing my network of renewable energy professionals."

- Beth Goldstein, Partner, Renewable Energy Practice Group Chair

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"Trust your instincts. I’m a huge nerd and I used to think (and argue) my way through decisions and relationships when I was younger. I used to make lists of pros and cons to analyze options. I used to seek outside assurance that a particular choice was correct. These approaches are not without value, but most of the time I already knew what was best for me. Then I used logic to convince myself otherwise."

- Laura Kaplan, Partner

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"Today, the ranks of women senior lawyers, whether in-house, in private practice or in the public sector, continues to grow – not as fast as some of us might like – but grow nonetheless. I am excited to not only to be a part of it, but also to help mentor law students and junior attorneys on the import of diversity and ensuring alternative paths to success."

- Carla Moynihan, Partner, Real Estate Department Chair

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"I have been so fortunate to work with talented and inspiring women throughout my career. The women who trained and mentored me have shown there is no one path for being a successful lawyer – Each of us forges a path that best suits her individual interests, skills, and goals. This willingness to color outside of the lines, rather than being confined to predetermined paths that long dominated traditional legal careers, has been empowering."

- Sara Jane Shanahan, Managing Partner

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"My early mentors were opposing counsel, a woman and a man. Ann Liebowitz of Polaroid taught me executive advocacy and compensation so I could advise her colleagues. Rick Ward of Ropes & Grey invited me to co-author an article with him that was cited by Judge Young. Both Ann and Rick continued to sponsor my career for years. I try to pay it forward."

- Nancy S. Shilepsky, Partner

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MENTORING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Throughout the year, women attorneys and professionals come together to develop, network, and connect through training programs, roundtable discussions, and one-on-one mentoring.

Past programs have included discussions and training on:

Personal branding

Career management

Time management

Mindfulness and meditation

Accolades

Sherin and Lodgen is proud to have so many of our women attorneys and professionals recognized for their accomplishments in the legal profession and for their contributions to their communities.

Carla M. Moynihan (Real Estate) and Nancy S. Shilepsky (Employment)

Ranked nationally and locally by U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Law Firms”

Jennifer Ioli Connelly (Real Estate Law), Carla M. Moynihan (Real Estate Law), Sara Jane Shanahan (Commercial Litigation; Litigation- Insurance), Nancy S. Shilepsky (Employment Law – Individuals; Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment), Laura Kaplan (Ones to Watch), and Dustyn Marie Mascia (Ones to Watch)

Beth A. Goldstein, Carla M. Moynihan, Sara Jane Shanahan (Top 50 Women in MA), Nancy S. Shilepsky (Top 50 Women in MA), Jennifer Ioli Connelly (Rising Star), Tanya M. Larrabee (Rising Star), Dustyn Marie Mascia (Rising Star), and Theresa M. Santoro (Rising Star)

Beth A. Goldstein, Carla M. Moynihan, Sara Jane Shanahan, and Nancy S. Shilepsky have all been named “Top Women of Law” by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and Beth A. Goldstein has been named an “Up and Coming” Lawyer

Laura Kaplan (2022 Women in Commercial Real Estate Spotlight), Jennifer I. Connelly (2021 Ones to Watch Spotlight), Beth A. Goldstein (2020 Women in Real Estate Spotlight)

Beth A. Goldstein and Jennifer Ioli Connelly graduates of NAIOP Massachusetts Leadership Institute

In Celebration of Women: Female Restaurateurs

As part of our “Doing Good Together” initiative, Sherin and Lodgen’s Women’s Initiative would like to highlight some of our favorite local female restaurateurs as a continuation of our Q&A Series, launched in March in honor of International Women’s Month.

"I’ve always operated with intention and encourage others to do the same. Work for the best, learn from the best, be the best version of yourself and most importantly, surround yourself with the best people."

- Cassie Pluma, Chef and Owner of Sarma

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Haley Fortier, Founder and Owner of haley.henry wine bar and nathálie wine bar. Read more from Haley here.
Carolina Salinas and Carolina Garcia, Co-Founders and Owners of Carolicious. Read more from “The Carolinas” here.
Maria Rondeau, Co-Founder and Owner of Celeste. Read more from Maria here.
Katrina Jazayeri, Owner and Wine Commander of Juliet + Co. Read more from Katrina here.
Cassie Piuma, Chef and Owner of Sarma. Read more from Cassie here.
Sumiao Chen, Founder and Co-Owner of Sumiao Hunan Kitchen. Read more from Sumiao here.

In Celebration of Women: Women in Renewable Energy

The third installment of our Women’s Initiative’s “In Celebration of Women Q&A Series” features women in the Renewable Energy industry, working every day to create a cleaner future.

"It seems very feasible that a state with a 100% clean energy goal could reach it – the real question will be if it can be reached in time to have a meaningful impact on climate change. I am certainly proud to play the tiny role I have in getting our country closer to that point."

- Jillian Wagner, Commercial Loan Officer at Cambridge Trust Company

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Bethany Bartlett, General Counsel and Vice President, Kearsarge Energy
Emily Byrne (Mann), Senior Director, Citizens Solar
Deborah Howitt Easton, Assistant General Counsel, Ameresco Inc.
Jillian Wagner, Commercial Loan Officer, Cambridge Trust Company

Beth A. Goldstein, interviewed during our first segment of the series, S&L leaders, is chair of the firm’s national Renewable Energy Practice Group, which represents lenders, developers, municipalities, and companies committed to sustainability through solar, wind, hydro, and energy storage initiatives. Attorneys Colleen V. Collins, Jennifer Ioli Connelly, Tanya L. Larrabee, and Carla M. Moynihan are also integral members of the group. To learn more about S&L’s renewable energy experience and capabilities, visit the practice group page.

In Celebration of Women: Girls on the Run Greater Boston Q&A

The fourth installment of S&L’s Women’s Initiative’s “In Celebration of Women” Q&A Series spotlights the work of Girls on the Run (GOTR) Greater Boston. The national non-profit organization designs programming that strengthens third to eighth grade girls’ social, emotional, physical and behavioral skills to successfully navigate life experiences. Jennifer Ioli Connelly, partner in the firm’s Real Estate Department and Renewable Energy Practice Group, currently serves on GOTR Greater Boston’s Board of Directors.

"I hope that girls who participate in GOTR internalize the knowledge that they have the power to shape their lives, the confidence to set and reach challenging goals, and the understanding that the world needs them to be uniquely themselves."

- Olivia Mathews

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"Running has taught me the importance of movement and physical activity, and how that generally helps you maintain a healthy and positive outlook on life. It’s a great way to take time for yourself in a world where that often doesn’t happen without a fight. "

- Jennifer Ioli Connelly

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GOTR Greater Boston’s fourth annual Sneaker Soirée will be held on Thursday, October 21nd at 6 p.m. at the Aloft Seaport Hotel Boston. Learn more about the event and register to attend here.

In Celebration of Women: Women in Commercial Real Estate Development Q&A

For our fifth installment of the “In Celebration of Women Q&A Series,” we highlighted women in Commercial Real Estate Development who are building the future of Boston and beyond.

"You will get different comments and criticism on how you should behave as a woman throughout your career. Do not try to change who you are and instead focus on being the best at what you do. Your work and authenticity will shine through."

- Baillie Yip

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Jessica Dowling, Associate Director of North America Builds and Operations, Wayfair
Kathleen MacNeil, Principal, Millennium Partners
Baillie Yip, Managing Partner, Rafi Properties

Our Women’s Initiative’s “In Celebration of Women Q&A Series” aims to recognize the women making major strides and paving the way for others in their respective fields of work, many of which are in traditionally male-dominated industries.

Sherin and Lodgen

Our Firm

Women’s Initiative

S&L Women Leaders

MENTORING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Accolades

In Celebration of Women: Female Restaurateurs

In Celebration of Women: Women in Renewable Energy

In Celebration of Women: Girls on the Run Greater Boston Q&A

In Celebration of Women: Women in Commercial Real Estate Development Q&A

Chair

Vice-Chair

Our Firm

Related News & Events

In Celebration of Women: Girls on the Run Greater Boston Q&A

In Celebration of Women: Women in Renewable Energy Q&As

In Celebration of Women: Female Restaurateur Q&As

In Celebration of Women: S&L Women Leaders Part III

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